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A Father's Place receives $95,000 grant to prepare young men for fatherhood and life

Tags: South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families , Outreach
A Father's Place receives $95,000 grant to prepare young men for fatherhood and life

A Father’s Place (AFP), which is a program of the South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, received a $95,000 grant in March from Power:Ed, the philanthropy of SC Student Loan Corporation. The grant supports AFP’s Reality Check Program, which actively engages both current and yet-to-be fathers in a conversation about making smart choices for their future.

“Our strong community partnerships are making a difference in the lives of these young men and A Father’s Place is proud of our collaboration with Power:Ed. We are part of the only statewide fatherhood initiative serving thousands of fathers and their families daily,” Evans stated.

Reality Check is a crash course in the responsibilities and realities of early fatherhood. The Program targets young high schoolers by introducing them to real-life scenarios that share how becoming a young father can alter their lives. The curriculum includes fast-paced videos and engaging conversations that cover the following topics:

  • Responsible Decision Making
  • Education and Career Planning
  • Healthy Relationships
  • Budgeting and Raising a Child
  • Impact of a Father’s Absence

Reality Check Participant — “Y’all taught me the true meaning of being a father, how to handle my life like my finances, business, and setting goals.”

A Father’s Place Reality Check program has served over 650 local students in the last five years. Students are enrolled at the Horry, Georgetown, Waccamaw, Carvers Bay, and Andrews High Schools; Associated Marine Institute (AMI) students, the SOAR Academy, the Georgetown Youth Academy, and the Georgetown County Solicitor’s Office who directly refers students to the Program.

“Power:Ed and SC Student Loan are proud to support A Father’s Place and its work to give young men a strong foundation, mentoring on the responsibilities of fatherhood, and guidance on career and education pathways to earn a livable wage. All South Carolinians should have the opportunity to succeed regardless of their circumstances, and we want to do our part to help reduce barriers and help these men thrive in school, work, and in life,” said Power:Ed Executive Director Claire Gibbons.

In FY2024-25 Power:Ed will award $1,000,000 in grants to South Carolina education and career readiness organizations. In this third quarter, Power:Ed has awarded five grants (including this grant to AFP) totaling $270,000. Grants are administered quarterly, and the next grant funding deadline is April 1, 2025.

Pictured are Karriem Edwards, President SC Center for Fathers and Families; Mark Himes, Director of Community and Agency Relations SC Center for Fathers and Families; Power:Ed Executive Director Claire Gibbons; and AFP CEO Wallace Evans Jr.

The South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.

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